Randolph County Sheriff’s interactive app is first in N.C.

Randolph County Sheriff’s interactive app is first in N.C.

CORRECTION: The original version of this story included information from a Randolph County Sheriff’s Office press release that read: “Randolph County has the first sheriff’s app in North Carolina and the first of its kind that Reid and his staff are aware of which lets you send a photo immediately to law enforcement.” Randolph County Sheriff Maynard Reid said by telephone Wednesday evening that his department’s new app is “the first of its kind” in the state.

ASHEBORO — You see someone breaking into your neighbor’s house, take a picture of the suspect’s car and want to notify the sheriff’s office.

There’s an app for that.

You see a drug deal going down in the parking lot and know you need to report it.

There’s an app for that.

And, it’s free.

On Wednesday, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office unveiled a comprehensive app for citizens to interact with the office in real time with specific information at a specific place.

“This is real time information that can give up valuable data and get us on the scene quickly and also allows us to notify the public when we need to get information out to them,” Randolph County Sheriff Maynard Reid said.

The Randolph County sheriff’s app is the first of its kind in North Carolina that Reid and his staff are aware of which lets you send a photo immediately to law enforcement.

Reid said the idea for an app came as a result of a citizen’s frustration with a robbery scenario. He saw someone taking items from his neighbor’s house and called 911. Then he took a picture of the car and suspect, but was unsuccessful in attempting to send it to the sheriff’s office.

“When he brought the picture in, the suspect was long gone, of course,” Reid said, “but it got me to thinking that with all the technology we have, how could we use it to interact with the public?”

Reid and Det. Bernie Maness brainstormed that idea and an app was the obvious answer.

Reid said the app was designed at no taxpayer cost and paid for with seized asset forfeiture monies. The cost was $9,800.

“In other words, money seized from drug trafficking is being put to use to help the citizens,” Reid said. “The app is free on both the App Store on the Apple market and the Play Store for Android users.”

The app was designed by myOCV.com in High Point.

Reid said, like most projects, the app started on the drawing board to answer the most common questions from the public. The jail site was added. Sex offenders were added. Hours and regulations to get permits were added. The most wanted list was added.

“It was also important for the public to have the ability to anonymously send a tip of something they see, such as strange vehicles in their neighborhoods, reckless driving or anything else that should be reported,” Reid said.

The sheriff emphasizes that the app is not a replacement for the 911 call. Always call 911.

This is more of a modern community watch that lets the citizens easily communicate as there are so many smart phones out there, Reid said.

“It was designed to address the need for a quick and easy communication tool for the citizens to communicate with their sheriff’s office from anywhere they may be and use a tool that is common in the community. Smart cellular telephones are a normal item now; why not use what they are capable of?” Reid said.

Information can be sent anonymously or one can put in as much information as desired.

“A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes. We hope that the ability to send pictures to law enforcement in real time will help reduce crime. When it comes to photos, you can send one or many, pictures of vehicle tags and photos of suspicious persons’ faces, “ Reid said, “but don’t put yourself in danger. Be smart and be safe.”